


Stay

by jvibing2727



Category: Codename: Kids Next Door
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Feelings of Regret, Old Flames, Sad Birthdays
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-12
Updated: 2019-06-12
Packaged: 2020-05-01 21:03:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19185475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jvibing2727/pseuds/jvibing2727
Summary: It was Numbuh 274's birthday, and for the past couple of years, he always hated when this day arrived. It just reminded him of the biggest regret of his life. And that doesn't help that working under the Teens Next Door reminded him it occasionally.





	Stay

 

It was his birthday today. He looked at the stacks of paperwork in front of him as he sat by his desk. This was the last thing he wanted today but here he is sitting there, analyzing candidates for the Teens Next Door that were nearing the age of 13. Two hours into the day, and he was already exhausted. Chad Dickson opened his phone and saw the outpour of messages from his various people telling him happy birthday. All he could do was just roll his eyes at them. Being stuck here in the Teens Next Door was not part of his plan at all.

Chad was ambitious. Keyword was. Chad had worked his ass off and put in tons of blood, sweat, and tears trying to join the Galactic Kids Next Door. Only for him to be cast aside and be sent back to working for the Teens Next Door. They had chosen Numbuh 1, aka Nigel Uno, to join the Galactic KND. It took a huge toll on him mentally. He always took pride in being “the best to have ever done it” only to be one-upped by one of his trainees. He should’ve felt proud, but he didn’t. It didn’t help that his cover had been absolutely blown five years ago in the failed Teen Ninjas and KND peace treaty incident.

Knowing all of that made Chad bitter and depressed. And again, it didn’t help that it was his birthday today. Chad used to love celebrating his birthday before he was 13. He would be surrounded by his closest friends in the moonbase, sharing cake together and receiving presents. Now it just reminds him of that day he pretended to betray the KND and send the base to the sun to prevent Cree from doing so. He never really saw the consequences of that until after the failed peace treaty incident. His ambition had blinded him. Now, even though his name had been cleared and is now viewed as the hero he was hailed then, it had damaged the one relationship that ever really mattered to him.

Sure, he still had friends. One of them being Maurice, aka Numbuh 9. Maurice and him remained close and found themselves working together on some missions. But still, that friendship was nothing compared to the one he had with his former second-in-command. That person being Numbuh 362 aka Rachel McKenzie.

He could still remember the day he first saw her as a newbie KND cadet. Chad saw the fire and passion that burned in her eyes. They worked together in missions and were known to be a very efficient and praiseworthy team. This was before he became the supreme commander of the Kids Next Door. As time went on and they started to do more jobs alone as operatives, Chad was gaining traction for his success as Numbuh 274 and Rachel racked up a reputation for being the best spy in the entire Kids Next Door organization. When Chad became supreme commander, Rachel was assigned to be her second-in-command, reuniting once again and growing even closer together. They frequently teased each other and had petty fights about childish things like rainbow monkeys or which color was the best. She looked up to him as well and would complement him how he really was the best to have ever do it. Chad had also been the one that Rachel confided with about her insecurities and fears. While he never said anything about it, he always noticed how much closer Nigel and she got after he had “turned”. He remembered feeling glints of sadness and even jealousy at their relationship, but he ignored it, constantly reminding himself that he was on an even greater path.

Shortly after he had his 14th birthday, Rachel had joined the Teens Next Door and returned to her spy duties by infiltrating the Teen Ninjas, something that he did back when he was 13. When she first entered the Teens Next Door base, his eyes darted straight to her and hers darted towards him. They had stared for five seconds, but it seemed like an eternity. They stared at each other with blank faces, but he could tell that she was hurting. Within those five seconds, Chad realized all his mistakes and felt regret for the first time in his life.

From then on, that would be their routine. They would occasionally pass by and glance at each other and feel sadness. They rarely talked to each other, and when they did it was always about mission details and asking each other to relay a message to someone else. They didn’t even refer to each other in a first name basis anymore. To her, he was just Numbuh 274, and to him, she was just Numbuh 362. When they had these moments, Chad savored every single minute of it. It didn’t matter that these moments were filled with angst and repressed thoughts, he just wanted to see her and occasionally hear her voice. And by god was she beautiful. She had matured from being a cute, young girl into an eye-capturing, gorgeous young woman. She had grown out her silky, smooth blonde hair past her shoulders and possessed all the curves that would make any thirsty teenage boy drop dead. Chad had dated many pretty girls throughout his years as a teenager but not one could compare to the beauty of Rachel McKenzie.

Chad opened one of the small cubbies of his desk and pulled out a folder of photographs. Occasionally he liked to look at them to remind of the times were simple. He flipped through them until he saw one that really captured his attention. It was a picture of him at his 12th birthday party. But he wasn’t alone though, Rachel was by his side hugging him. He continued to stare intensely at the picture and the regret and sorrow struck him. He analyzed the giant smiles on their faces and how their eyes were so bright and filled with joy. He couldn’t give a shit about Galactic Kids Next Door anymore, all he wanted was her by his side again. He was on the brink of tears and breaking down right there, but the door opened and was met by Rachel herself.

Chad quickly regained control of himself and looked at Rachel. Like always, her face had that deadpan but broken look as they stared at each other. She came in with a stack of papers and proceeded drop it on his desk. He looked at them, seeing that it was more paperwork concerning recruits and more.

After dropping them down, Rachel turned around and muttered under her breath “Happy birthday…”. His eyes widened and started to feel the tears drip down his face. He couldn’t hold them back anymore; he didn’t know what he was feeling now. She was walking away and nearing the door with each step. Chad needed to let her know what he felt.

“Stay.” Chad impulsively asks of her. “Numbuh 27- “Rachel tries to respond but finds herself being cut off by him. “Rachel, please stay.” The sound of her name being called by his voice strikes a chord with Rachel and finds herself dead in her tracks. “And why should I do that?” she coldly asks of him.

“Because…’ Chad stammers nervously “If I lose you again now, I will never forgive myself for it.”

Rachel turns around and sees Chad standing up behind his desk with tears flowing from his eyes to his cheek. The sight of him looking so broken and fragile was a sight that she had never seen before and left her speechless. And as much she tried to feel nothing about it, Rachel finds her heart shattering to pieces at this sight.

“I know I fucked up big time five years ago!” Chad tells her. “I was blinded by my ego and ambition to foresee that my actions would hurt you so much. If I could just go back in time, I would have never even strived for the Galactic Kids Next Door. Or at the very least I should’ve told you why I did that.” Chad continues on as he steps closer towards Rachel, “So Rachel please stay! I’m so damn sorry for what I did! I don’t care about the GKND anymore, I just want you to at least not hate me anymore!”

After Chad aired out what he has concealed within him for the longest time, he pleads again. “Please stay here with me right now. I don’t want to live in a world in which I absolutely mean nothing to you!” His tears intensified after his final plea, his voice giving out and transforming into sobs.

Rachel listened closely to his words and took them all to heart. Her heart had been smashed down to million pieces as tears flowed through her eyes. She walks up to Chad and wraps her arms around him, sobbing into his chest. Chad felt shock at this action. He looks down at her and finds her face looking up to his face now.

“For years, I tried to hate you so much. Your betrayal broke me and having to take up the mantle as supreme leader caused so much anxiety. I hated that I had to be the strong one for everyone when I was so hurt and lost. I remember eating so little following that day and just crying myself to sleep just to wake up to being depressed over you. This went on for months goddamn it! Everyday my fucking parents saw through the mask I worn and asked me what was bothering me, and I’d just lie through my teeth telling them that I was fine. Even after your cover was blown and the truth was revealed, I still couldn’t ignore all the despair that I felt. I still found myself trying to despise you with every fiber of my body” Chad finds himself breaking down even more at her confession. Hearing her say it all to his face was causing the most pain that he had ever felt. He never wanted this. No amount of broken bones or strikes to face could amount the heartbreak he felt now.

“But even though I tried so hard…” Rachel continued “I could never bring myself to hate you. To me, you will always be “the best to have ever done it”. So much so, that not even Nigel could ever change my mind, even after he was chosen. All those memories we shared at the moon meant too much to just throw away. Every conversation, every laugh we shared, every stupid fight, I just can’t! I love you too much for me to disregard you. It was impossible. I also don’t ever want to lose you again. So yes Chad Dickson, I will stay here. Just promise you won’t leave; I don’t know if I can survive another day without you.”

They found themselves in this position for the next minute: hugging and crying into each other. They needed this release.

Chad breaks the silence and brings the fingers of his right hand to Rachel’s chin telling her “I promise you, from every vein and chamber of my heart, that I will never leave you again Rachel McKenzie.” Their tears continued to flow but their frowns had formed into smiles. His arms enclosed around her while hers wrap around his shoulders. Their faces homed in on each other, their lips trapping each other.

The kiss was intense and strong, filled with so much yearning and years of repressed feelings. Nothing else mattered anymore. They needed each other now more than ever.

They broke off and stared at each other again. This time the faces they held were not of sadness or even hatred like in the past. But it was one of closure, free from all the guilt and regrets, and one of bliss.


End file.
